Newcastle United defender Mike Williamson has had his loan spell with Wolverhampton Wanderers cut short by his parent club due to the Magpies' lack of cover at the back.
Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles fell victim to a minor hamstring injury during Saturday's 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace, leaving struggling manager Steve McClaren short of options.
Wolves had recently extended 32-year-old Williamson's deal until mid-January, but Newcastle have been forced into activating the early return clause which was inserted into his loan contract.
Williamson leaves positive impression
The Championship club's fans will likely be disappointed at the news, with Williamson performing well during his brief spell in the second tier.
The Stoke-born defender, who has amassed 150 league appearances for the Magpies, only featured in five games for the Black Country outfit but saw his side concede only three times in that period, keeping three sheets.
And Wolves boss Kenny Jackett has expressed his gratitude to both Williamson and Newcastle for his services, telling the Express and Star that he "understands the situation" and that the defender had been "a credit to himself as a professional" during his time at Molineux.
Ebanks-Landell return softens blow of Williamson loss
However the manager who, like McClaren, has come under some pressure this season for alleged underperformance from his players, was not downbeat about the loss and insisted it will open the door for other players to stake a claim for a first-team place.
Defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell is available for selection again after an injury to his left foot, with the 22-year-old impressing at the back prior to picking up the injury in early October.
Wolves defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell - image via BBC
Jackett also pointed to Irish full-back Matt Doherty as an option, insisting that he would not be averse to moving some positions around to account for the loss of Williamson.
Wolves have chance to pull away from rivals
Wolves currently occupy fifteenth position in the Championship table, a disappointing return thus far after missing out on the play-off positions on goal difference alone last season.
They travel to relegation-threatened Rotherham United on Saturday, before back-to-back home fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, the two sides directly below them in the league standings.